Food, wine and adventures in and around London.

A Weekend in Paris

I thought I would fill you in on a little trip we took to Paris before Christmas, where we set the tone for the period and overindulged in a ridiculous amount of wine and cheese. We hopped on the Eurostar and I’m glad we did as I had forgotten just how easy it is.

Hotel Henriette was based a short walk from the Latin Quarter on a pretty little cobbled street in a quiet neighbourhood. Interior wise it’s kitted out in accent scandi-chic pieces hand picked from flea markets, pretty floral arrangements and a super cute outdoor courtyard that’s lit by fairy lights come dusk. There’s candles galore too and as a bit of a candle addict I thought this was great. Not only was the hotel super beautiful, but there are lots of bakeries on your doorstep to pick up your morning espresso and croissant before you start the day – the dream. It was the perfect home from home and we didn’t want to leave…

One of the reasons I think Paris is such a great city is its patchwork of Quarters, each with their different characters and hidden corners to explore. Our grand plan was to not have a plan and we spent the days aimlessly wandering and stumbling upon different cafés, parks and boutiques. We did lots of exploring (aka getting lost).

For a city-wide view, climb the steps up to the Basilica – the view is second to none. We grabbed a coffee and found a quiet spot to admire the iconic architecture – from the pretty streetlights and balconies to the famous landmarks.

Shopping wise – the independent boutiques of the Marais district served us a little too well and we found some pretty cool vintage shops. We basically ate our way across Paris and following the advice of some locals, visited the food markets – the pastries, bread and macaroons were aaaaamazing.

It might be a big claim, but we also ate in what I think is my all time favourite restaurant, Buvette. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s rustic chic with exposed brick, cosy wooden tables and has an impressive marble bar running the length of the room. Food wise it serves a range of small plates and more substantial hearty dishes. Oh and you can’t leave without ordering the chocolate mousse, it is heavenly. Like the Buvette in Manhattan, this restaurant is tiny and you can’t book, but it’s worth the wait – just order a glass of wine and cosy up in the snug area. I am definitely going to be trying a few numbers from their recipe book. Take a peek here.

Of course we made the time to visit the main sights too – the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre being just a few. If you’re thinking of visiting any time soon, the department store, Printemps, had some super pretty Christmas lights and equally pretty bits inside.

As Paris is known as the ‘City of Light’ we decided we ought to see the famous skyline from above and just by chance were at the top of the Montparnasse Tower as the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle. It was a bit of a magic moment. It turns out, as Audrey Hepburn once said, ‘Paris is always a good idea’. Here’s to a fab 2016 – just remember…